Setup notes

Short, practical guides to the questions that come up before and after a download: will it run, where will it fit, who can I play with, and what should I check before paying.

PC basics

Minimum or recommended? Reading PC requirements properly

What the two columns actually promise, and how to check your own PC in two minutes.

Read the note

Handheld PC

Steam Deck ratings, explained

Verified, Playable, Unsupported: what Valve's four labels mean, and why anti-cheat matters most.

Read the note

Space

How much storage do twelve big games need?

Install sizes from the official requirements, plus how extra storage works on each console.

Read the note

Playing together

Crossplay and cross-progression, explained

Can friends on other kit join you, and does your progress follow you between devices?

Read the note

Integrated graphics

Big games on an everyday laptop

Which of the twelve run on integrated graphics, and the settings that help most.

Read the note

Checklist

Before you buy: the five-minute kit check

Seven quick questions that save a refund request later.

Read the note